Semi-ballistic switch mechanism



April 30, 1968 J. F. MARCHAND SEMI-BALLISTIC SWITCH MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26, 1965 5 m Ma 0 M mm 64 6 g a LR //0 MAC.

INVENTOR. JOHN F MARCHA/VD ATTORNEY April 30, 1968 J. F. MARCHAND SEMI-BALLISTIC SWITCH MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 26, 1965 Rm QM mm mm mM F. M J

ATTORNEY April 30, 1968 J. F. MARCHAND SEMI'BALLISTIC SWITCH MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 26, 1965 INVENTOR. JOHN E MARCH/1ND A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,381,099 SEMI-BALLISTIC SWITCH MECHANISM John F. Marchand, 445 E. 65th St., New York, NY. 10021 Filed Nov. 26, 1965. Ser. No. 509,842 Claims. (Cl. 200-38) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A timer with a slow turning shaft is provided with a latching electrical relay which can be actuated and latched and is further provided with a spring urge-d momentum element which may either be a leaf spring with a momentum element on its end attached to the timer shaft or a spring compressed by a cam on the timer shaft and suddenly released at the point where unlatching of the relay and resetting of the mechanism for a new cycle is needed. When this point is reached the spring urges the momentum element to actuate this engaging or unlatching means at a rate suitable for the time constant of the relay, which is quite short. The momentum element moves to a position beyond its position of rest and finally comes to rest at a position where the mechanism is reset for actuation of a second cycle.

Background of the invention For many purposes it is desirable to have a timer actuating a switch for a very short moment to unlatch or reset electrical mechanisms. For example, one of the various fields of utility of the invention is in the timing of resettable squelch circuits for interrupting the sound output of television receivers and the like. The arrangement for timing control of audio outputs is generally the subject matter of my co-pending application Ser. No. 338,235, filed Jan. 16, 1964, now abandoned. Briefly, in my early application the output circuit such as that to a loud speaker of a radio or television receiver is controlled by suitable time delay switching means which either open the circuit or short out the coil of the loudspeaker. The switching means are actuated, manually or remotely, and means such as, for example, latching relays or other latching mechanism hold the switch in its squelch position.

At the same time, a delay mechanism is started. Typical delay mechanisms are thermal, electrical, or of a clock timing type. After the pro-determined delay period has expired, the latching mechanism or relay is unlatched, the switch is thrown to the position in which the loud speaker functions, and the delay mechanism is reset. In other words, at the end of the delay period everything is reset, so that there can be a new squelch cycle initiated at a later time as desired.

One of the problems which arose with delay elements was the need for a very quick unlatching or unlocking of the electrical means. When electronic circuits or thermal delay tubes together with electrically latching switches are used to produce the desired delay, there is no problem in getting a quick actuation, for example by a push button, after the previous delay period has expired. However, when mechanical timers such as clock motors are used, there is a very slow rotation of the timer shaft and ordinary cam switch contacts do not have a momentary quick action. This leads to a sluggish push button action to restart mechanical clock timers. This problem in general applies whenever mechanically operating timing mechanisms are used for any purpose where a quick ending and restart of the next timing cycle is of importance. As the use in squelch circuits of my earlier application above referred to a typical one and an important practical field, the present invention will be described be- Patented Apr. 30, 1968 low in more detail in conjunction with such operation without in any way intending to limit it to such circuits.

Essentially, a clock timer involves a very slow turning member, such as a shaft, on which may be mounted cams or other mechanisms, and which often turn at speeds as low as 1 r.p.m. or lower, the slow speed of course being effected by suitable gearing in the well known manner for clock motors. When a cam is used on a slow-turning shaft, momentary actuation of a switch becomes impractical, as a cam profile to give a fast momentary break and make from a very slow turning shaft is impractical. In the past other complicated mechanisms have been used, such as notches in discs with quick-snapping, spring-actuated guards, and the like. An example of such mechanism is illustrated in the Clemens Patent 2,553,846. Considerable force is required to throw the switching pin out of the notch initially and to pull back the guard. This requires a fair amount of power in the initial actuation, which presents no serious problem with uses such as Clemens contemplated, namely for a hand drying device, Where the actuation is close to the hand and where the necessary strength is readily available. However, if remote control or other controls such as a finger tip push button control involving but little power are needed, the simple but rather crude construction will not work, and of course there is always the problem of wear. The present invention is an improved timer in which actuation is substantially instantaneous and in which the start of each successive timing cycle can be brought about without the use of any significant power.

It has also been proposed to design a timer which at the end of a timing circuit will reset itself by having the timer wind up a spring or other means during its timing cycle, which then, through appropriate gearing, turns the timer back to its zero position more rapidly than the timing cycle itself. This, however, involves additional mechanical spring means with the additional possibilities of malfunctioning and wear and requires a clutch and clutch coils, or the mechanical equivalent thereof, and even though the gearing resets the timer more quickly than it cycle itself, it is still a fairly considerable interval and does not provide instantaneous resetting. The additional mechanism adds to cost and complexity and possibility for short life due to increased wear.

Essentially, in the present invention there is a slow turning shaft with a cam or analogous structure which, either by itself or through the intermediary of a second element, snaps a momentary break and make switch instantaneously. There is a fast switch action in which a thrown or snapped member behaves as a momentum or fast moving device with movement enormously faster than the move ment of the timer shaft. The mechanism can be considered as a semi-ballistic one. In this respect the thrown element moves under an impulse in a manner analogous to that of a missile, though of course this thrown element is not completely unrestrained and can only operate through. the ranges determined by its construction.

One modification of the present invention involves a spring member which is turned by the timer shaft and which is compressed by the slow turning of the cam and at a predetermined point snaps free, swinging very rapidly through an arc at a speed many times greater than the rotational speed of the timer shaft. The spring member may be a part of the turning shaft and can be considered as a spring cam which is held back, or it may be a separate member which is operated by an ordinary cam and which has suflicient weight so that when snapped free it moves rapidly through an are greater than the corresponding movement would be if it were held to turn at the slow shaft speed. The very fast moving spring member carries on it switch actuating means or means which can strike a microswitch and operate it quickly.

The present invention involves not only the cam that trips a ballistic member but also includes associated means, such as electronic means, which unlatch from a previous set position and which, among its functions, stops the movement of the timing motor. The leaf-spring construction, which is usable in this invention along with a conventional cheap timer motor, is very simple, relatively light and durable, and simpler than the electric clock timers now available for these functions. It is an advantage of the present invention that as far as the clock timer itself is concerned, it is not changed by the invention and therefore cheap, commercially available timer motors can be used. All that is necessary is to fasten the particular cam switch mechanism onto the end of the shaft. Any timer motor can be used provided, of course, that it is capable of being started by switching on power as well as being cut off. Electric timer motors which have to be spun to synchronism before they will start are, therefore, not suitable. However, as many if not most electrical clock and timer motors are now of the self starting type, this limitation is of no practical significance and does not increase the cost of the apparatus.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is an isometric view, semi-diagrammatic in nature, of one form of switch and associated electric latching circuits,

FIG. 2 is a similar semi-diagrammatic view of a modified switching form showing only the timer and switch itself,

FIG. 3 is a similar view of a modification in which a conventional cam actuates a separate spring member, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are similar views of modified timers showing also a diagrammatic squelch circuit.

Description of the preferred embodiments In all of the figures the timer motor itself is shown at 10. Its mechanical design is immaterial so long as it will start by electrical actuation, and it is therefore shown purely diagrammatically. In FIG. 1 the end of the timer shaft is provided with a disc 12 rotating in the direction of the arrow and having fastened to it a leaf-spring member 16 with a wedge shaped insulating member 18 acting as a momentum element which is shown in solid lines at 20 during a portion of the time delay cycle and in dashed lines at 22 just before the ballistic action, at 24 during switch actuation, and at 26 after switch actuation.

The timing interval is initiated by a push button 38 which momentarily actuates a latching relay 35. This relay has two switch portions, one of which connecting the 110 volt line to the clock motor and one switching to a load circuit at 40. It will be seen that the uppermost sets of switch contacts go through the wires 34 and 36 to a normally closed pair of spring arms 32 with contacts 28. In other words, the coils of the latching relay are energized in series between the switch points at the top and the switch contacts 28.

As the timer turns, the end 16 of the spring 14 strikes a metal edge and the spring is bent. This position of the wedge 18 is shown at 22. When the timer turns a little further, the finger 16 snaps o-if the edge 30 and the spring rapidly straightens out, swinging between the contacts 28, as shown at position 24, and finally to position 26 in which the spring is somewhat bent in the opposite direction. Finally, of course, the spring comes back to the straight position. This straight position is separated from the position which breaks the normally closed switch contacts 32, in the case of FIG. 1 this position is beyond the position where the contacts are opened by passing the wedge 13 through them. If desired, damping means may be provided, but normally these are not necessary. The switch points of the latching relay are shown in the position as the switch points 28 are opened. At this instant current is broken through the wires 34 and 36, the latching relay unlatches, and the switch points move to the position shown in the drawing. The actuation of the switch points 28 is momentary only, but when they snap together again after the wedge-shaped insulator has moved on, the upper switch points of the relay 35 are opened and, therefore, it will not lock. At the same time, the lower set of switch points of the relay are also moved so that the timer motor is disconnected from the power line and the timer stops. Now when the button 38 is pushed a new cycle is started because this momentarily activates the latching relay coils, the three sets of switch points above it swing into the upper positions, and now the uppermost ones keep the latching relay locked, and of course the lowest set of points keep the timer motor turning. The load circuit is shown as normally open. In other words, if this were a squelch circuit it would be of the type in which a loud speaker coil is shorted out. In the case of other loads, the load would be energized during the timing interval.

The modification shown in FIG. 1 not only results in instantaneous unlocking of the latching relay, but the movement of the wedge-shaped insulator 18 serves to wipe the contacts 28 and keeps them from becoming clogged with dirt or otherwise not operating in their closed position. For this reason, in many cases the modification shown in FIG. 1 is preferred.

FIG. 2 illustrates a different type of actuation. The timer motor disc and the metal edge 30 bear the same reference numerals. However, the spring, which is shown at 42 carries a small permanent magnet 44 instead of the wedge-shaped insulator 18 of FIG. 1. A magnetic switch, such as is used in modern telephone switchboards, is shown at 52 with switch blades 54, normally closed, and wire connections 34 and 36, which perform the same function as the wires of the same number in FIG. 1. As the disc 12 turns, the spring 42 is bent, as is shown in the dashed lines at the position marked 48, the arrow 46 shows the position before bending, and it now snaps off and rapidly moves past the switch 52 to a final position, proceeds to an approximate end position shown at 50, and the momentary opening of the switch 52 performs exactly the same function as the switch in FIG. 1. In other words, it opens the latching coil of the latching relay, which is the same in FIG. 2 as in FIG. 1 but has not been repeated -for clarity.

FIG. 3 shows a somewhat different modification in which the timer 10 carries an ordinary cam 54. A spring 56 held on a rod 60 is bent. The spring carries a weight 58 near its end, behaving as a momentum element, and when it moves off the cam 54 it swings down to a position shown in dashed lines at 57, striking a button 62 of a micro-switch 64 from which the wires 34 and 36 again lead to the latching relay. The spring 56 when it strikes the button 62 is damped so that it will not vibrate and actuate the button several times, although even if it did so this would do no harm since the switch 64 is a normally closed one and once the relay has been unlatched, further actuations of the same switch are ineffective. FIG. 4 illustrates a modification somewhat similar to FIG. 3. Again the timer is numbered 10, the latching relay coil 35 and the wires from the momentary switch to the latching relay are numbered 34 and 36. Also, as in FIG. 1, the initiating button is numbered 38, and the cam on the timer shaft 54. The interrupting switch 74 is of a different design and is momentarily opened when the spring leaf 73 is depressed. The spring analog of the leaf spring 56 in FIG. 3 is replaced by a wire spring 72 which carries a weight 70 that can be adjusted by unscrewing the clamp and moving it. When the button 38 is momentarily depressed, a circuit is closed through the coil of the locking relay 35 and the left hand set of switches indicated at 40, as in FIG. 1, continue the flow of current through the locking relay and also through the timer motor 10. The right hand switch points short circuit the voice coil 13 of a loud speaker 11, illustrating a different modification of load connection from that shown in FIG. 1. As in FIG. 4, when the cam 54 turns around -far enough, the spring 72 drops off its nose and the weight 70 swings past its ordinary position of rest, striking the spring actuating leaf 73 and momentarily opening the switch 74. This unlatches the relay and restores everything to its original position exactly as described in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 3 and 4 the momentum elements move past their rest position which rest'position is short of the switch activating position but is still separated therefrom. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the rest position is beyond the switch activating position but is still separated therefrom. Again the switch points at are shown in the position just after the switch 74 has been momentarily opened and the relay 35 unlatched. An additional minor refinement is illustrated by a light 76 which shows that the timer is in its delay cycle. Of course the light lights whenever current is flowing through the coils of the relay 35.

FIG. 5 is another modification, this time shown for low voltage battery operation, the timer being numbered again 10, its cam 54 and the initiating push button 38. When the push button 38 is momentarily closed, the coils of a relay 84 are momentarily actuated. This draws down an armature 86 against the spring 78 and permits a pivoted three-armed switch actuator 92 to move to the left under the influence of the spring 90. This closes the switch points at 94, resulting in short circuiting the loud speaker coil 13, which is the reverse of the construction in FIG. 4 where the coils are opened, and maintains the motor 10 in rotation for the member 92 can no longer swing back because it is urged in its position by the spring 90. Again the cam 54 turns, moving up a plate 82 with a weight 66, acting as a momentum element, against the spring pressure of the spring 19. When the cam 54 is turned far enough, the plate drops on its edge, the weight 66 urges the end of the plate to move beyond its point of rest and strikes an arm of the switch actuator 92. This swings the portion 88 back against the spring 90 but now in its right hand position the spring 78 moves up the armature 86 and locks it in this position. This of course opens the switch points at 94, the motor stops, the loud speaker is no longer short circuited, and the system is ready for another cycle.

It will be noted that FIG. 5 is using a mechanical latching relay rather than one that latches only by electrical coils as in the other figures. Both types of latching relay are, of course, well known devices and are illustrative of two types of latching switch relay design. The invention of course is not limited to either of these two types and other known latching relays may be used.

FIG. 5 illustrates another modification permitting an additional function. Let us assume that the mechanism has been set for a one minute squelch delay period. The button 3 is pressed, the switch is thrown, the loud speaker is muted, and the timer 10 turns. Suppose, however, that after twenty seconds the listener decides that he wants to hear something from the loud speaker at this point. For example, the squelch is usually operated to cut out commercials on television programs, but the viewer may see something on a commercial which he would like to hear. He can then press the button 80, which is a mechanical button and which throws the switch actuator 92 exactly as if it had been thrown by the completion of the timing interval and the striking of the switch actuating arm by the plate 82. This will stop the squelch, stop the turning of the motor, and leave the mechanism set for another cycle. It should be noted, however, that if another cycle is initiated, the motor 10 will only turn for the remainder of its time. In other words, if button 80 had been pressed at twenty seconds of the one minute delay, the next cycle will last for only forty seconds. However, the possibility of defeating the squelch at a point before the whole time delay has run may be sufficiently important so that there is no objection on the part of the user to a shorter cycle the next time. An added circuit to reset the timer back to the zero point is possible here, but it is not ordinarily necessary.

The specific description of the invention and of its advantages has been in conjunction with its use in a timed squelch mechanism described in my earlier application referred to above. This description, in connection with a field for which the present invention is well suited, permitted bringing out operation of the invention very clearly. It should be understood, however, that the invention is in no sense limited to a timer-semi-ballistic switch mechanism for use in such a system. On the contrary, the invention may be used for any purposes where it is desired to quickly initiate a cycle of time delay and to equally quickly reset at the end of the set delay or at such shorter portion thereof in modifications where an interruption of the full cycle is made possible, such as .for example in FIG. 5. It should also be noted that the timer-switch combination does not require that there be an electrical load circuit which is switched from one condition to another during the timing cycle and is then reset. It is also possible to have the snap action mechanism initiate only a momentary signal either electrically or mechanically. Thus, for example, in FIG. 1 the momentary opening of the switch points 28 creates an electrical pulse which can be used for any momentary purpose, such as an audible or visible signal. In the case ofthe audible signal, the snapping spring may itself actuate the signal by striking a bell. For example, in FIG. 3 there can be a second hammer on the spring 56 which strikes a bell to give a momentary audible signal. In every case, however, the essential features of the invention are used and therefore in its broader aspects, as represented by broader claims, the invention is not limited to any particular load circuit or to a load circuit which is continuously operative in each of the two positions.

For clarity in the drawings only a single time cycle duration is shown. It is perfectly possible however to have multiple cams or cam mechanisms on the timer shaft, each one operating through its own particular cycle. For example, in FIG. 4 if there is a second cam on the timer shaft with twice as many lobes and with duplicated springs, weights and switches, this can produce a time delay half as long. It is obvious of course that in cases of multiple delays operated by a single timer, the particular delay can be switch chosen. Therefore, the present invention in its broader aspects includes either a single delay cycle or multiple cycles.

The drawings illustrate in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 manually actuated push buttons for initiating the delay timing cycle. The exact mechanism is not important. The manual push button may be replaced with a remotely actuated relay, either wired, radio, sonic, or otherwise controlled, or any other mechanism which momentarily throws the latching switch. Since these various types of mechanisms are well known and are not changed by the present invention, their exact design does not form any part of the invention though a means for actuating the latching switch is needed and thus broadly forms a portion of the present combination.

This semi-ballistic switch timer also provides a simple device for timing in a photography or chemistry laboratory and for timing of a variety of household appliances such as toasters, cookers, and refrigerator defrosting arrangements, and the cut of music from a record player whenever the telephone or a doorbell rings.

I claim:

1. A spring urged momentum element, electric motor driven timer and latching switch mechanism combination comprising, in combination:

(a) an electric motor driven timer with a rotating timer shaft,

(b) latching switch mechanism including switch connections actuating a power circuit to the electric motor,

(c) means for initiating a timing cycle by momentarily actuating and for latching the switch mechamsm,

'(d) spring means actuated by the rotation of the timer shaft,

(e) a momentum element urged by the spring means,

(f) means at the end of the timing interval to release the spring actuated means and to permit it to move to a. position beyond its normal position of rest, and

(g) means actuated by the moment-um element urged by the spring during its movement momentarily to unlatch the latch switching means, the rest position of the momentum element being separated from the position unlatching the latch switching means, whereby a controlled short interval unlatching is provided and the mechanism is reset and the timer motor stopped.

2. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 1 in which the latching switch means is an electrically latching relay.

3. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 2 in which the timer shaft is provided with a cam moving up the spring means to a point on the profile of the cam whereby it suddenly drops back.

4. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 1 in which the timer shaft is provided with a cam moving up the spring means to a point on the profile of the cam whereby it suddenly drops back.

5. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 1 in which the switch is a magnetic switch.

6. A motor timer switch mechanism according to claim 1 in which the switch is provided with mechanical latching means.

7. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 1 in which the switching mechanism includes a set of contacts connectable to a load circuit, whereby the load circuit is switched from a condition before initiation of the timing cycle to a different condition during the timing cycle and return to the original condition when the timing cycle is completed.

8. A momentum element control-led timer switch mechanism according to claim 7 in which the load circuit is in the audio circuit of a television receiver whereby the timer switch initiates an audio squelch for a predetermined time interval.

9. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 1 provided with means actuatable at will for terminating the timer cycle at a point before its normal completion, whereby when a succeeding timer cycle is initiated it will last only for the unexpired portion of the interval of the preceding cycle.

10. A momentum element controlled timer switch mechanism according to claim 8 provided with means actuatable at will for terminating the timer cycle at a point before its normal completion, whereby when a succeeding timer cycle is initiated it will last only for the unexpired portion of the interval of the preceding cycle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,038 3/1939 Leins 335-205 X 2,520,732 8/1950 McDonald 325390 X 2,571,068 10/1951 Seiden 335-470 X 2,811,601 10/1957 Somers 335--17O 3,205,379 9/1965 Lundin 20038 X 3,249,713 5/1966 Briggs 335-205 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

H. E. SPRINGBORN, F. E. BELL, Assistant Examiners. 

